international patient dumping
DESCRIPTION
International Patient Dumping. Private Hospital “Deportations” of Uninsured Immigrants. Nisha Agarwal, Director, Health Justice Diversity Rx Conference October 19, 2010. Overview. The cases. NYS workgroup on medical deportations. What role for law?. How to message?. The cases. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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International Patient Dumping
Private Hospital “Deportations” of Uninsured Immigrants
Nisha Agarwal, Director, Health JusticeDiversity Rx Conference
October 19, 2010
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OverviewThe casesThe cases
NYS workgroup on medical deportationsNYS workgroup on medical deportations
What role for law?What role for law?
How to message?How to message?
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The cases
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Luis Jimenez - FloridaOriginally from Guatemala; undocumented; uninsured; hit by drunk driver & hospitalized
Hospital incurs $1.5M in costs; unable to find rehab center willing to take uninsured patient; also unwilling to pay costs
Hospital decides to send patient back to Guatemala above objections of guardian; litigation ensuesNow: in Guatemala, receiving virtually no health care; jury found hospital did not behave unreasonably; attorneys filed for new trial
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Kong Fu Yu - New YorkOriginally from China; undocumented; uninsured; elderly; suffered stroke & hospitalizedHospital unable to find facility to accept patient; decide to send him back to China above guardian’s objections
Hospital files motion to have court proceedings closed to media, to have guardian removedNow: hospital looking into obtaining PRUCOL status for patient, in hope of getting benefits
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NYS workgroup
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Goal: Understand problem, develop solution
“We really need a definitive answer on how to proceed in cases like these.”
- William Phillips, jury foreman, Jimenez case
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ApproachMulti-sector; national, state & local partners; some providers included; NYIC, NYAM & NYLPI coordinateSub-committees: Legal, policy, messaging/communications, data collection, services/appropriate care
Structured interviews with social workers, advocates and other service providers
Legal research & creation of rapid response team
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Initial FindingsSocial workers reporting 4-5 cases per year in which patient threatened with forced repatriationHospitals lack understanding of inter-relationship between immigration law & benefits eligibility; patients lack knowledge about discharge rights; language barriers impact dischargeResources are wholly inadequate for hospitals and patients
Lack of knowledge among providers & advocates about the resources that do exist
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Role for law?
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Rapid Response Team
Multi-sector (attorneys, social workers/providers)
Connect patient, advocate & hospital to available resources, if possible
Provide limited, emergency legal representation - e.g. discharge appeals, TROsCatalog cases, introduce some accountability into system for hospitals
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Impact Litigation?
Anti-patient dumping laws
Discharge planning laws
Preemption
Tort law
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How to message?
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Possibilities
Engage financial arguments?
Ethical/human rights framework?
More than just about undocumented immigrants
Draw links to “traditional” patient dumping, build alliances
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Thank You!Nisha Agarwal, Director, Health Justice
212-244-4664 [email protected]
www.nylpi.org / healthjustice.wordpress.comtwitter: @healthjustice